


The Wardrobe: Books and Poetry

by fyouflapjacks



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M, bookshop au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-26
Updated: 2013-10-24
Packaged: 2017-12-27 17:25:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/981630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fyouflapjacks/pseuds/fyouflapjacks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel was only fifteen when he decided he wanted to open a bookshop. If you were to ask him what exactly it was that made him realise this dream he wouldn’t be able to tell you. Just that one evening at fifteen he was perusing the books in the family library and it occurred to him that maybe, a bookshop would be the way to go. Of course, he'd never counted on one Mr D Winchester, firefighter and all-round sex god walking into his store.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Finding Narnia

“Anna, Anna he’s back.” Cas can hear her long suffering sigh, even down the crappy phone connection. There is a weird scratching on her end that sounds suspiciously like a nail file, Cas glares at his phone momentarily before lifting it back to his ear.

“Who’s back? Why are you whispering?” 

“The guy Anna. The guy. You know, the one who looks like he just stepped out of the latest edition of GQ.” Cas glances up to see a couple of the bookshop patrons giving him odd looks, in fairness he’s probably hissing a little louder than is considered appropriate. He smiles apologetically at them and shifts his conversation into the back room.

“Ah yes. The mysterious Mr D Winchester, you talked to him yet?” Cas lets out a frustrated growl into the phone and throws himself into his desk chair, door swinging closed behind him.

“What do you think?”

“I’ll take that as a no then.” And Cas is only mildly irritated by the sound of her laughing at him down the line

“Exactly, no. Though when he came in the other day I did manage to say ‘hngnh’ which is progress” Saying it out loud though only works to remind Cas how ridiculous he’s being about this and he allows his head to thunk loudly against the desk. “I’m gonna die alone”

“You aren’t going to die alone Cassie. Just with the companionship of many cats and your own right hand.” The peals of laughter that echo down the line are interrupted only by the dinging of the bell at the front desk.

“I hate you.” Castiel tells his sister firmly “I hate you and I’m calling Gabriel.” Though it did nothing to help as the giggling still hasn’t subsided when Cas thumbs the ‘end call’ button and pockets his phone. In all honesty Cas regrets ever telling Anna about his little crush, he’s not even sure why he did, except for the fact that she’d asked him how things were at the shop and he’d just kept talking.

“Sorry to keep you waiting” Cas throws over his shoulder while he closes the door behind him “How can I help you…” The sentence trails off when he turns around to find none other than Mr Winchester himself stood at the desk front.

“Hi.” And Jesus Christ on a bike, the guy is even more beautiful when he smiles. So much so that Cas thinks he might have to go have a lie down “Um, I was looking around your shelves for something my brother wanted me to pick up, except I couldn’t find it on your shelves? I wondered if you could help me out here.” 

“Of course. Um what exactly were you looking for?” books. Cas can do books, he can totally work with books as subject matter “Fiction, non-fiction, any particular titles?”

“Uh yeah actually” the guy goes and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly and Cas figures he may as well give up any remaining hope he’s been clinging on to that he will get through this conversation without embarrassing himself “It’s The Hobbit” Cas smiles to himself. At least it was something he could definitely help him out with.

“Of course, come this way.” And with a slightly flailing arm gesture Cas beckons the guy to follow him through the shelves.

-

Castiel was only fifteen when he decided he wanted to open a bookshop. If you were to ask him what exactly it was that made him realise this dream he wouldn’t be able to tell you. Just that one evening at fifteen he was perusing the books in the family library and it occurred to him that maybe, a bookshop would be the way to go. His dad had, as usual, said nothing. Michael however had been very proud of this pursuit, proclaiming it to be an interesting and legitimate career choice. Gabriel, who that last comment from Michael had actually been aimed at, simply rolled his eyes and declared them both to be hopelessly dull. An opinion he dutifully changed when Cas came out to the family by accident when, after ‘studying’ in his room with Todd Matthews they left covered it hickeys and glasses askew to find the entire Novak family outside the door. That remains Gabriel’s favourite story to tell and he does it while sounding oddly proud of his baby brother’s only, even remotely, outlandish exploit.

When Castiel was twenty one his father went missing on a trip to Africa. Originally it had been thought that it was a kidnap situation, the family being as rich as it was, however no ransom demands ever came. Within the year he was declared dead, the five Novak children found themselves orphaned, each of them with more money than anyone of that age really knows what to do with. 

Gabriel and Luke had both taken their money and run, the former moving to Kansas City to open his own (very successful) restaurant ‘The Mystery Spot’, the origins of the name remaining unknown to all siblings, though more through their own desire never to find out. Luke had moved to New York to become, well, none of them knew what Luke did exactly, just that he made a very great deal of money and never spoke about it. 

Michael had simply used his to repair some faulty wiring and rusted pipes in their old (though large) house, the remainder of his money sitting in a bank account gathering interest. Anna was too young to receive hers and it sat in a trust fund until she was twenty one.

Castiel used his money to buy a sizable property in the middle of town. He had it refurbished and decorated and spent months gathering his stock. Within six months of its opening ‘The Wardrobe’ had become a key element of Lawrence, its business both regular and profitable.

All of that is what led Cas to here. To anxiously checking behind him to make sure the attractive man is following, and leading him to a large rack of faux fur coats near the back of the store, the railing for which comes to the slightly taller man’s forehead. When he simply looks puzzled Cas sends him a grin, before adjusting his glasses and reaching into the hanging coats.

“What are you doing?” the question is accompanied by a gesture towards where Cas’ arm disappears into the furs

“You’ve read the Chronicles of Narnia, Mr…?” Cas stops himself abruptly, it wouldn’t do for the man to know that Cas has his last name memorised from the one card transaction that happened last time he was in the store. In fact the more Cas thinks about it the creepier it is.

“Dean. My name is Dean.” The man, Dean, says “and yeah, I used to read them to my brother”

“Well then Dean.” Cas is pleased because if Dean hadn’t read the books then this would mean nothing “Were you not curious as to why this shop is called The Wardrobe?” There’s a pause in which Dean looks thoughtful and then a flash of realisation crosses his face. 

“You’re kidding.” Cas just smiles a little wider and flicks the switch his fingers had found while they were speaking. There’s a popping and a groaning before one of the wooden panels behind the rack shifts slightly. Dean’s eyes widen as Cas leads him between the bulky coats and through the wall behind, into a room which is startlingly different in decoration to the main store.

The shop front is panelled in dark wood with shelves and bookcases of the same colour. Soft spotlights around the place give it a warm, if faintly gloomy, look. There are chairs and bean bags in a few corners for those who wish to read in store, and each of those comes with noise cancelling headphones and a small, brighter spotlight to make reading easier.

The new room is large and lit brightly by a domed glass ceiling, allowing a clear view of the bright blue sky. The walls are painted with murals of bright green rolling hills and meadows that seemingly go on for miles. Two walls have huge floor to ceiling bookcases complete with sliding ladder to reach the highest shelves. There are large, comfy looking chairs in a formation around a stone fire place (Gas Dean notes with a smile, more easily controlled) and many bean bags and foam chairs dotted around the room.  
Cas grins from the centre of the room at Dean’s slack jawed reaction. “Well this was unexpected” he breathes out and Cas is fairly sure he smiles at the huff of laughter Cas gives.

“This is my favourite part of the shop.”

“I don’t doubt it. Dude you have a Narnia.”

“Yes. Well, the Chronicles of Narnia were my favourite books as a child. The Hobbit?” Cas looks over at Dean who seems to be in some kind of trance, staring around the large room. “Dean? You wanted the Hobbit?” It seems to snap him out of it as he shakes his head a little. 

“Uh yes. Please.” Cas shuffles off and climbs the ladder so he can scan the shelves. “Why keep this room hidden away?”

“Hmm?” Cas asks, glancing down, having been distracted from listening to Dean by his hunt 

“This room, why keep it out of sight?”

“Oh. Well I don’t always.” Cas gives a small noise of triumph as he finds a dusty copy of The Hobbit behind an old edition of Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. “Once a week we have a children’s story time back here so it’s open then.” He adds as he climbs down the ladder. “And in here is where I keep most of the children’s literature. Mostly I like to keep it as a reward for those adventurous enough to find it. That and the fact I keep a lot of my more expensive texts in here. I suppose I like the privacy of it, I use this room for reading in myself.”

“Huh.” Dean puts a hand on Cas’ back to steady him on the last few rungs. Unfortunately the hand acts more as a liability as it causes Cas to jump and lose his footing, subsequently slipping off the ladder. He yelps and braces himself for a collision with the floor which never comes. Instead he finds himself wrapped in a pair of arms which are far too warm and comfortable for him to resist leaning into, just for a moment.

“Are you okay? I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you!” Cas leans away from Dean’s hold and adjusts his glasses, quite certain now that his face is lobster red.

“No um, I apologise. This- this is entirely my fault I’m very sorry.” He thrusts the book at Dean’s chest in a desperate attempt to put some space between them. “Um, here. And, well, uh, thank you for catching me.”

“No problem Castiel.” Dean takes the book and smiles down at it, gaze soon shifting back to Cas “Fire fighter” he waves his hands in a rough imitation of jazz hands “quick reflexes.” He adds by way of explanation.

“Oh.”

“Hm?” Dean turns from where he’d started to head back through the small door

“You uh, you know my name?” and yep that seals it. Cas is definitely going to faint because all of the blood in his body is currently either in his face or a little way south of his naval.

Dean gives him a quizzical look and ducks his head “Well yeah, I mean, it’s uh. It’s written on your name tag.” with that he’s disappeared out of the door and Cas is left to stare down at the shiny badge pinned to his dress shirt, then slam his head into the nearest bookcase.

By the time he gets back to the front desk Dean is already there, back to Castiel, broad shoulders shaking.

“You’re laughing at me.” Cas laments, trying not to sound as hurt as he feels. Dean’s expression shifts from amusement to worry as Castiel circles around to stand behind the   
desk, holding his hand out for the book Dean’s holding. 

“No! It’s just, you looked cute- I just mean that... Flustered is a good look on you is all.” Dean’s expression has shifted back to cocky smirk and Cas thinks he just might get whiplash from the speed at which Dean seems to change facial expression. He hands over the money for the book with an exaggerated wink “I’ll see you round Cas. Be careful on that ladder.” And with that he takes the bag which Cas is holding out for him and struts out of the store like he owns the place. 

Well. If Cas was hooked before, then he’s totally screwed now.


	2. Brothers: nothing but trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Dean and Cas vent at their brothers about their ridiculous crushes, both brothers handle it in very different ways.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait. You’re telling me that a smoking hot fire-fighter, who you are super attracted to by the way, was flirting with you at the store the other day and you didn’t even slip him your number? Cassie, I am so disappointed in you right now.”

“You know what? That’s exactly what Gabe said.” Cas sighs, flumping down onto the couch beside the brother in question. For his part Gabriel just grins and smiles in what Cas suspects is supposed to be an endearing way.

“I knew there was a reason I liked your brother.” Cas rolls his eyes and kicks out at Gabriel who is making obscene, though oddly impressive, shadows on the wall with his hands, using the light from the lamp beside him. Gabe smacks him in return and tries to grab for the phone so Cas has to hold him at bay with his foot to continue the conversation.

“Balthazar, you have only met him once and you tried to stab him with a cake slice.”

“Yes well that’s because I’m impulsive and he’s an annoying little shit.” Castiel thinks that he should probably stand up for his brother but a firm poke to the thigh reminds him that actually, Balthazar is pretty spot on in his assessment.

“I’m charming!” Gabriel yells towards the phone. Cas is quick to cut off the snarky response he’s sure is coming from Balthazar

“I’ll see you next week when you bring Lucy home.”

“Yes well about that Cassie. She’s so damn cute I have decided I’m going to keep her, sorry.”

“Very funny. I’ll see you next week.” Cas says firmly and hangs up the phone, he sounds confident but he’s actually less sure than he’d like that Balthazar wouldn’t keep her. He may never get his dog back.

Gabriel has wandered off into the kitchen and Cas can hear him pouring a drink. He throws the phone onto the couch next to him and dramatically throws an arm over his eyes.

“I’m going to be single forever.” He moans forlornly and Gabriel starts laughing as he walks back into the room, setting a beer down next to Cas.

“That you may little bro, certainly if you continue to miss signals this obvious, I mean, this ‘Dean’ guy was clearly flirting with you.” Gabe smirks at him and wiggles his eyebrows lasciviously. 

“You really think I should go for it though?” Cas asks earnestly and Gabriel groans and buries his face in his hands before standing abruptly.

“Up. Get up Cas.” He smacks at Cas’ arms until he begins to rise “Get your coat, we’re going out”

“What? Why? Where are we going at” Cas glances at the clock above the fireplace “ten o’clock at night?”

“We’re going to the fire station.” Gabriel tells him and with that he’s out the door and on the street.

“Wait, what? NO!” Cas is running after him, grabbing his keys and coat as he goes. “Gabriel no! You can’t do that! We don’t even know if he’s working today and you can’t disturb him in his workplace anyway! I’m gonna look like such a stalker oh my God.” 

It’s round about this point that Gabriel starts laughing uproariously, enough that he has to double over to stop his belly hurting. The few people who are also out at this time of night are giving him a wide berth.

“Wow Cas, I cannot believe you fell for that, you are so easy- OW!” He rubs his leg and glares at Cas and then rolls up his pant leg to glare at the bruise forming on his shin 

“You are such an asshole!” Cas growls and glares some more for good measure

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, dick move.” Gabe holds his hands up in surrender “but we should really go get a drink at The Roadhouse.”

“I don’t know Gabe, I’m really not feeling like going out tonight”

“That’s the beauty of it Cas.” Gabriel winks and Cas rolls his eyes hard enough that he gets a little dizzy “You’re already out.” Gabriel makes a vague gesture at where they’re standing on the street.

“I have a good mind to kick you again.”

“As long as we go to the bar afterwards” Gabe nods firmly and even holds his leg out, ready for the kicking.

Cas sighs loudly and turns, flouncing away to the bar, coat billowing as he goes.

-

“Sammy, did I mention that this bookstore has a Narnia? Like, a freaking Narnia! Can you believe that?” Dean waves his beer bottle in Sam’s direction and his little brother sighs

“No I can’t Dean, just like I couldn’t the first twenty times you told me.” 

“Wh- shut up Sammy!” Dean tosses his jacket at Sam’s head

“No, no, I wanna hear more about how the owner’s eyes are so blue you almost got lost in them!” Sam murmurs through his laughter

“I so did not say th- Shut up!”

“Not until you tell me more about his ‘awesome sex hair’”

“You suck, you know that?” Dean flips Sam off as he strolls to his room, ignoring the raucous laughter

“But what about his incredible, oh no wait, sorry. What was the word? Oh, delectable ass!” Sam yells after him and he hears a faint call of ‘dick’ float back down the hallway. “Hey Dean?” Sam says from where he’s moved to the door of Dean’s room, laughter dying away to make room for his pep-talk voice.

“Go away Sammy.” Sam grins at where Dean is lying on the bed with his back to the door.

“You know, I think you should go for it, I mean, from the sound of it this guy really likes you.”

“Not a chick Sam.” Dean rolls his eyes at the same time as he sits up “But uh, thanks man” Sam nods, raps his knuckles once against the doorframe, and leaves his brother to it. Dean hasn’t been this wound up about anyone in a long time, it’s actually kind of nice in a totally weird way, plus this bookshop does sound pretty cool, Sam may just have to go check it out.

-

Cas takes another mouthful of boiling hot, thick-as-tar coffee and tries not to wince as it burns his mouth. He’s never been so glad for a slow day at the shop. He goes back to resting his forehead against the cool wooden desk. He hates Gabriel, truly hates him.

Drinks had seemed like a good plan once they were actually at the bar, until one drink turned into a few, turned into several, turned into too many to count. Castiel hasn’t felt this hung-over since Gabriel’s bachelor party, the infamous bachelor party which actually ended up lasting longer than Gabriel and Kali’s spectacular failure of a marriage had done. Castiel maintains that three and a half hours is probably some kind of record but Gabriel punches him anytime he brings it up, he’s kind of sensitive about it, no matter how amicable the break-up had been.

In fairness to Castiel he actually doesn’t really know what happened, just that one minute the two were leaving the wedding, as in love as any two people ever were, and the next, Gabriel is calling to tell him his marriage has been annulled and some grumbling about someone Cas thinks might have actually been called Baldur. Cas is pleased the two of them stayed friends though, he always did like Kali.

“Ugh.” He grunts and lifts his head, with a monumental effort, off the desktop. He gets as far as picking up the keys to close the store early before he remembers that there is actually someone else in the shop with him.

A very large man is folded somewhat awkwardly onto a bean bag, he seems to have his nose buried in a book, just the same as he did when Cas first spotted saw him two hours ago.

“Um, excuse me?” Cas coughs politely when the man doesn’t respond and it’s that which seems to jolt him out of whatever little world he was lost in “Um, sorry, I just, I wondered if I could get you a coffee or something?” Cas asks, he feels bad that the poor guy has been sat here on his own for at least a couple of hours without anything warm to drink. Cas is a firm believer in having a warm mug of something to accompany any good book.

The guy actually blushes and ducks his head “I’m flattered I guess, but, um, I’m not- I mean, I don’t- Uh” He sputters. Cas tilts his head in confusion, he’s not entirely sure he’s following this conversation anymore “I don’t swing that way man, I’m sorry”

Cas can feel his eyes bug out a little when the sentence is finally strung together by the stammering stranger, he shakes his head frantically and indicates his nametag. “No! No, no, no. I work here and I notice you’ve been here a few hours and I thought you could do with a drink, I wasn’t- you really aren’t my type, that is to say you’re clearly a very attractive man but um, not really what…uh.” Cas shuts his mouth with a click, takes a few deep breaths and tries speaking “Let’s try this over again. My name is Castiel and I own this shop, I was wondering if perhaps you would like something to drink while you enjoy your book?” 

By this point in the conversation the poor man has stood up and is blushing absolutely furiously, nervously running his hands through his mop of hair over and over “I am so sorry man, I totally misinterpreted the situation! I didn’t see you at the desk when I came in and I was so caught up in my book I thought you were another customer and I just-”

“It’s okay, really.” Cas decides to cut in before the inevitable rambling begins. “It was an honest mistake, could, and does according to most romcoms, happen to anyone.”

They both stop talking for a minute and share a slightly awkward laugh

“Hey wait, you’re Cas?” Castiel nods a little nervously, he’s not sure he likes the implication that someone has been talking about him, it makes him slightly uncomfortable. “I’m Sam, Sam Winchester, I think my brother was in here the other day? He recommended your place to me, said the owner was almost as awesome as the bookstore itself.” Castiel forces himself to tamp down the burning red blush he knows is building at this particular piece of news.

“Oh, you’re Dean’s brother?” If anything Sam’s smile gets even brighter and he finally manages to relax completely, he brings himself up to his full height and Jesus the man must be at least 6’4” and built like a brick wall. He holds out a ridiculously massive hand for Cas to shake and to be honest Cas is faintly surprised when it only feels like his hand has been mildly crushed, rather than the complete pulverisation he’d been half expecting.

“Crap!” Sam yelps, catching sight of his watch, and it only makes Cas jump a little bit, “I am so late, I really have to get going.” He adds as he heads to the door, Castiel following behind him. “I feel awful for leaving without buying anything, especially after…you know” Sam rubs the back of his neck awkwardly and Cas huffs out a laugh.

“Well, your brother bought something when he came in the other day so I suppose I can just let you go just this once.” Sam grins at him and while it is mildly disarming Castiel can’t help but picture Dean’s smile instead, how there was just something that little bit more to it that made it absolutely perfect. Cas snaps himself out of it and nods his head “It was nice to meet you Sam, and tell Dean hello from me?” he adds on impulse.

“You too man, will do.” And then Cas is left alone in the store, with a head that he’s only just remembered is throbbing and the feeling that maybe he doesn’t mind someone talking about him, just this once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, thanks for reading again I guess, you're awesome. Feedback is super loved.
> 
> Written for the awesome [trustmeimthetrickster](http://trustmeimthetrickster.tumblr.com/). This is also posted to my [tumblr](http://godisnotonflatbread.tumblr.com/) so you could totally go follow me there if you want to.


	3. Darn Dogs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Charlie is the best friend ever, Gabriel is a little shit and Lucy is the best dog in the world.

Charlie gets this look in her eye pretty much the second she steps into Dean’s apartment and gets a glimpse of him lounging (not pining, never pining) on the couch. Dean doesn’t like it. He loves Charlie, Charlie’s great, she’s his best friend in the whole world, but he’s seen that look before and there is no way that that look means good things for him.

“So who is he?” yep. There it is. He knew it was coming at some point but he’d hoped not quite this quickly. Dean’s never one to give in that easily though.

“Who’s who?” He plays dumb but shoots her what he knows is the most obnoxiously innocent smile he can muster. Charlie isn’t even close to buying it and she simply pushes Dean’s legs off of her end of the couch, a little too forcefully if you ask Dean, and plonks herself down.

“You freakin know who Dean, don’t play dumb with me.” She rolls her eyes hard enough that, just for a moment, Dean is a little worried they might fall out “but, in case you really are that stupid, let me spell it out for you. Who is the guy who is making you look simultaneously like a love-struck teen and a huge moron.” And that’s his Charlie, blunt as they come, though whether by design or by lack of filter, Dean has never quite figured out.

“Ugh. It’s weird you know that? Your little ability. Weird I tell you.” He shoots her his best glare when she just gives him a smug look, then he flumps back into the cushions and drops his feet into her lap. Her look has softened a little now and Dean fully intends to take advantage of her forgiving mood. “So” he says lightly, a blatant indication that he’s changing the subject, bless her heart Charlie doesn’t even bat an eyelid “How’s Gelda. Glinda? Gwynda?”

“Gilda” Charlie enunciates carefully, poking Dean hard in the thigh. He knows damn well what her name is “is fine. She’s great actually. Ugh, who am I kidding, she’s perfect Dean, totally the Tara to my Willow.” Dean huffs out a laugh at her wistful tone

“So how many dates is that now?” He grins when she steals his beer and takes a long pull

“I don’t know, depends if you count staying the night as the same date or two dates…” She sends him a lascivious grin and Dean feels a little pulse of pride go through him. He’s pretty sure he taught her that grin.

“Go Charlie. So you been having any kinky roleplay costume sex yet or…?” 

“shut up!” is what she yelps at him but she’s also laughing while she takes his beer away more permanently, so Dean think she probably isn’t actually mad. That and the fact that that is the same question he’s been asking her after every date she’s been on for the eight or so years he’s known her, she’s never taken issue with it before. “but let me tell you, she does own a lieutenant Uhura costume and man does she work it.” 

“Definitely Go Charlie.”

They’re both laughing pretty hard at this point and they take a while to settle down. Charlie slaps his legs off of her so she can go make their traditional Friday night popcorn. While Dean puts in the extended version of Fellowship of the Ring, he finds himself absently wondering what Cas might look like in Spock’s Blue uniform shirt. It takes Charlie three tries at his name plus a slap to the back of the head to get him to focus.

-

On Sunday Dean comes into the bookshop again. Castiel knows it’s a Sunday because Gabriel is here to bother him, just as he is every week like clockwork. It’s a damn good thing Balthazar dropped Lucy back home yesterday, Cas smiles as she plops her head in his lap, he thinks he might just go insane without her.

“Cas I’m bored.” Gabriel announces , and throws his paper down onto the desk top. “Entertain me.” Cas stares at him with a mixture of shock and alarm.

“Entertain you? Gabriel I am not your personal jester, what I am is at work. Please, do not get that confused again.” Gabriel throws up his hands and backs away. 

“Fine, I see how it is. Maybe I’ll go see what’s happening in Narnia at the moment.” And he begins to flounce away. 

“Gabriel, as you are well aware at the moment it is story time in Narnia and Anna is reading to the children.” Cas squeezes his eyes shut and rubs his temples, but holds up a finger just in time to stop Gabriel uttering his next sentence. “Do not ask to go and listen in. For one a grown man sitting in on story time without children looks plain creepy, and for another they are reading ‘No Matter What’ which I know for a fact you have read before.” He takes a deep breath and Gabriel deflates a little.

“You okay bro? You’re a little” he flails his hands at Castiel’s general person “more highly strung, than usual.” He concludes. Cas can’t help but sink further back into his chair again. He can feel a migraine about to come on.

“I’m fine Gabe.” He smiles weakly “we had a bit of a mix up with inventory this morning, I haven’t been sleeping well either.”

“I’ll bet you haven’t. You been thinking about this fire fighter of yours? That what’s keeping you up at night?” Gabriel jostles Cas’ shoulder cheerfully

“I wish.” Cas snorts and Gabriel nearly falls off his chair he laughs so hard. “It really wasn’t that funny Gabe.”

“You didn’t hear the tone of voice you said it in. You sounded so…forlorn.” 

“Stop that.” Cas is totally not grumbling. At all. Except he thinks he might be grumbling just a little bit. He reaches down to scratch Lucy firmly behind the ears, he even manages a grin when she licks his hand excitedly “I think I’ve decided I like Lucy better than you.” Gabriel’s indignant squawk is worth the comment and he even laughs when Gabriel throws a gentle punch at his arms.

“You suck, you know that?”

“I had some idea yes.” Gabriel huffs and swivels his chair to face away from his brother.

In the middle of turning to pick up his book off the desk Cas notices Lucy’s ears prick up and she jumps to her feet. Sadly for him he’s a little too late to stop her bounding off through the shop in some unknown direction towards some poor unknown bystander.

“Lucy! Dammit. Lucy come back!” Cas jogs after her, muttering under his breath, around the corner into the graphic novels section. When he catches up to her she’s thoroughly licking the face the man who is stroking her head fondly. He even seems to be laughing, so Cas guesses no harm no foul. Even so “I am so sorry. I don’t know what got into her.”

“That’s no prob-oh, hi Cas.” Dean stands up, he seems a little surprised to see him, which is weird because this is Cas’ bookshop. 

Dean waves but seems to also be trying to wipe the slobber off his face and push Lucy off of him at the same time, the combined movement end up looking like a bizarre dance. Castiel can’t help sniggering a little at the ridiculous sight. “Oh come on now Cas, don’t you laugh at me.” Dean whines and Cas somehow finds himself obliging. 

“Lucy, heel.” He beckons and Lucy comes obediently to sit by his side “Hello Dean.” He finally says, and fishes his handkerchief from his waistcoat’s breast pocket to help wipe off the dog spit all over Dean’s face.

“Thanks.” Dean grins at him and takes the handkerchief “You know, I didn’t even know people still carried these around I mean… does this have your initials sewn onto it?” He raises and eyebrow and shoots Cas a disbelieving look, frankly Cas is impressed that that look got across despite the fact Dean is viciously scrubbing at his face with the material 

“Seriously?”

“They’re useful for exactly this kind of situation, besides they were a gift from my brother Luke. Personally I would never get mine embroidered, certainly not with a monogram, but Luke has always been pretty old fashioned. It’s silk as well if that helps?” Dean is done with it now but just stares at it for a moment. 

“I hate to break it to you but I’m not sure I’d know the difference between this and a Kleenex.” Cas smiles again and nods his agreement. 

“I suppose that’s fair, though a silk handkerchief is for faces only because they stain easily, Kleenex can be used for cleaning… other things.” Dean chokes on his own tongue a little and Cas smiles inwardly “drink spillages and such” He adds to the end, pointedly raising an eyebrow in Dean’s direction. A blush, bright scarlet, blooms across Dean’s face and he nods vigorously.

“Yeah, drinks, no silk, of course.” There’s a not-quite-awkward silence for a few seconds and then Dean says “So C.S.?”

“It’s a hell of a coincidence given the author of my favourite books.” Cas’ mouth quirks up at the corner

“What is your last name though? If you don’t mind me asking?”

“Not at all. Castiel Shurley, how do you do?” Cas holds out his hand for a hand shake and a bemused smile crosses Dean’s face

“How do you do.” Dean grips his hand and shakes it firmly, Cas is pretty sure it isn’t just in his imagination that Dean holds on a little longer than is generally acceptable. It’s with that thought in his mind that he steels his resolve and gets as far into asking Dean out as 

“Dean-”

“Cassie! What is taking you so long? I’m boooored!” Castiel visibly freezes when his brother rounds the corner and sees the two of them still standing slightly too close together 

“Looks like I’m not the only one who found you.” Gabe grins and wiggles his eyebrows in the sleaziest way possible. Cas drops his face into his hands.

“Gabriel, this is Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester, this is my pain in the ass of a brother Gabriel.” The voice is muffled by his hands which are still smothering his face, he thinks the message gets across. Dean gives Gabriel a courteous nod and a “It’s nice to meet you man” before he turns back to Castiel.

“Cas, I think I’m just about finished up here, could you ring me up?”

“What?” Cas flusters for a moment at Dean’s casual attitude

“For the comics? Can I pay?” Castiel can see his own blush, he can physically see how red his cheeks are just from the glow coming off them. 

Also the fact that Gabriel is silently in hysterics just behind Dean, and is miming the blush in a freakishly accurate manner does not help.

“Oh. Yes of course. You know where the desk is.” And with that he stalks off towards the desk. He’s beginning to fear that all his conversations with Dean are going to end in this way. 

Once they’re back at the desk Cas checks around and is relived to find that he can’t see Gabriel. Relieved and more than a bit on edge.

“Just this.” Dean smiles placing down the latest Batman comic, it only came in this morning, one of the few items in the shipment that was correct, so Dean must be really dedicated. Lucy has wandered back to Dean’s side of the desk and whines until he gives in and begins to pet her head, giving her the attention he had been forced to cut short earlier “She’s a beautiful dog.” Dean says and his tiny smile is one of Cas’ favourite things ever, he has decided.

“She’s a border collie/ husky cross.” Cas offers, he’s not really sure why he’s dragging this out, it seems to have edged into awkward territory. Dean’s phone starts to ring.

“I gotta take this.”

“No problem. I’ll finish up here.” Not that Cas actually has anything left to do but take Dean’s money and bid him farewell.

“Thanks.” The grin Dean flashes him is stunning and Cas can feel his determination from earlier making a comeback. He needs to do something, but he can now see Gabriel peering none too subtly from behind a bookshelf, he always was the tactless one in the family. Asking Dean out is one thing, but doing it with his brother watching? Unacceptable.

He grabs one of his business cards from the edge of the desk and scrawls his cell number onto the back of it. He writes his name again, just to be safe, and then slips it under the front cover of the comic. There’s an odd sense of relief that comes with giving your number like this, Cas thinks. It takes all of the pressure off you as the giver and the situation is now out of your hands.

“Hey Cas, that was work, I’ve gotta run, big fire, all hands on deck.” Dean dumps a handful of coins onto the counter, which turns out to be exact change for the comic. 

Wow, Cas was wrong. He was so wrong because all of a sudden, in the blink of an eye his nerves are back three fold. His palms are sweating and he wipes them on his slacks as subtly as he can. How the hell do women do this all the time? He picks the book up with shaky hands and passes it over into Dean’s waiting palm. “Thank you for this.” Dean waves the book slightly as he takes it and Cas has a momentary concern that the number might flutter out from between the pages, just to cause him further humiliation.

“Goodbye Dean.” Cas waves a little stiffly

“See you round.” Dean winks and flicks out a small salute before he’s out of the door, the little bell tinkling away loudly in the new silence.

Lucy whines a little at the friendly strangers absence and Cas decides then and there that if this doesn’t work then he completely gives up because his heart is racing so fast he thinks another shot may give him a coronary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my head Lucy looks something like this: http://dog-training4u.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG00385-20110825-1839.jpg
> 
> Thank you all for reading, I hope this chapter was up to standard and I hope you're enjoying this as much as I am:)
> 
> Written for the awesome [trustmeimthetrickster](http://trustmeimthetrickster.tumblr.com/). This is also posted to my [tumblr](http://godisnotonflatbread.tumblr.com/) so you could totally go follow me there if you want to.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the awesome [trustmeimthetrickster](http://trustmeimthetrickster.tumblr.com/). This is also posted to my [tumblr](http://godisnotonflatbread.tumblr.com/) if you feel like checking that out.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading and, as always, feedback is very much appreciated. Until next time!


End file.
